Complete ACC release | Operation Basketball poll history
THE FLATS – Senior guard Jose Alvarado has been selected to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason second team, while Georgia Tech has been projected to finish ninth in the conference by a vote of 155 members of the media announced Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot native of Brooklyn, N.Y. made the All-ACC third team last season despite missing seven game due to injury early in the season. Alvarado led the Yellow Jackets in scoring in ACC games, ranking eighth in the conference at 16.0 points per game. He also ranked sixth in field goal percentage in conference games (46.5 pct.), eighth in assists (4.32 per game) and led the league in steals (2.37 per game).
He helped Tech win six of its final seven games to finish fifth in the final ACC standings, its highest finish since the 2004-05 season and seven positions higher than preseason projections. The Jackets also outperformed preseason ACC projections in 2016-17 and 2018-19. Tech’s 11-9 ACC record in 2019-20 was its best in 15 years.
Four starters return from that team, giving Tech its most experienced and deepest roster yet under head coach Josh Pastner.
Also back are 6-5 junior guard Michael Devoe, who averaged 14.6 points and connected on 44.2 percent of his three-point shots in ACC games and combined with Alvarado to form one of the top guard tandems in the league and the nation. They are joined by 6-9 senior forward Moses Wright, one of conference’s most improved players a year ago, averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and 6-7 senior wing Jordan Usher, who started 23 games after becoming eligible at mid-season and averaged 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Garrison Brooks of North Carolina led balloting for the All-ACC team, receiving 102 of the 155 votes for ACC Player of the Year and leading the first team which also included Sam Hauser of Virginia, Scottie Barnes of Florida State, Jalen Johnson of Duke, Aamir Simms of Clemson and Chris Lykes of Miami.
Alvarado was joined on the second team by David Johnson of Louisville, M.J. Walker of Florida State, Kihei Clark, Virginia and Wendell Moore, Jr. of Duke.
Barnes and Johnson finished a distant 1-2 in balloting for ACC Freshman of the Year.
2020-21 ACC Predicted Order of Finish
- Virginia (97), 2214 points
- Duke (34), 2146
- Florida State (15), 1973
- North Carolina (7), 1933
- Louisville (2), 1693
- Syracuse, 1234
- Miami, 1223
- NC State, 1149
- Georgia Tech, 1147
- Clemson, 1057
- Virginia Tech, 794
- Notre Dame, 769
- Pitt, 635
- Boston College, 404
- Wake Forest, 229
First-place votes in parentheses; 155 total voters
ALVARADO, PASTNER APPEARING ON ACC NETWORK
Alvarado and Pastner will represent Georgia Tech Thursday in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Operation Basketball’s virtual events, which will be televised live on the ACC Network tonight and Thursday.
Pastner will appear Thursday night at 7:35 p.m., along with Louisville head coach Chris Mack and Virginia Tech coach Mike Young, while Alvarado will appear at 8:30 p.m. Thursday along with student-athletes from Boston College, Louisville, NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
COMPLETE ACC NETWORK SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Wednesday 7-9 p.m.
- 7:00-7:10 – Opening segment
- 7:10-7:25 – Commissioner Interview
- 7:30-7:55 – Head coaches from Duke, Wake Forest, Florida State
- 8:00-8:25 – Head coaches from Clemson, North Carolina, Miami
- 8:30-8:50 – Student-athletes – Aamir Simms (Clemson, Sr., F), Jordan Goldwire (Duke, Sr., G), MJ Walker (Florida State, Sr., G), Chris Lykes (Miami, Sr., G), Garrison Brooks (North Carolina, Sr., F), Prentiss Hubb (Notre Dame, Jr., G), Isaiah Mucius (Wake Forest, Jr., F)
Thursday 7-9 p.m.
- 7:00-7:10 – Opening segment
- 7:10-7:35 – Head coaches from Boston College, Pittsburgh, Virginia
- 7:35-8:00 – Head coaches from Georgia Tech, Louisville, Virginia Tech
- 8:00-8:25 – Head coaches from NC State, Notre Dane, Syracuse
- 8:30-8:50 – Student-athletes – Steffon Mitchell (Boston College, Sr., F), Jose Alvarado (Georgia Tech, Sr., G), Carlik Jones (Louisville, Gr., G), Devin Daniels (NC State, R-Sr., G), Justin Champagnie (Pitt, So., F), Marek Dolezaj (Syracuse, Sr., F), Jay Huff (Virginia, R-Sr., F), Wabissa Bede (Virginia Tech, Gr., G)
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and Athletics Initiative 2020, Georgia Tech athletics’ ongoing $125 million initiative to allow Tech to recruit the nation’s most elite student-athletes, build a better student-athlete once they arrive on The Flats and, ultimately, win! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is beginning its fifth year under head coach Josh Pastner, having finished fifth in the ACC in 2019-20, the program’s highest finish since 2005. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
